Automatically-adjustable plunger for brick-machines



(No Model.)

A. P. GRAMER AUTOMATIGALLY ADJUSTABLE PLUNGER FOR BRICK MAGHINES.

No. 427,972. Patented May 13, 1890.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ANTHONY F. CRAMER, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

AUTOMATICALLY-ADJUSTABLE PLUNGER FOR BRICK-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 427,972, dated May 13, 1890.

Application filed July 3, 1889. Serial No. 316,377. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANTHONY F. CRAMER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, county of lVayne, State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in an Automatically-Adjustable Plunger for a Brick-lljlachine; and I declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My present invention has for its object certain newand useful improvements in a brickmachine, and relates more particularly to a brick-machine for which United States Letters Patent were granted to me March 4, 1884, No.

294,308, and has reference more especially to the construction of the plunger operating in the press-box at the base of the machine. Heretofore as said press-box and plunger have been constructed and arranged the clay has been forced out of the pressbox at the sides of the plunger, clogging and impairing the efficient operation of the machine.

My invention contemplates certain provisions whereby the fit of the plunger in the pressboX will be adjusted automaticall y as required to overcome the above-mentioned difficulty.

My invention consists of the devices and appliances, their combinations and arrangements, as more fully hereinafter specified, and pointed out in the claims, and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a vertical. section of a machine embodyingmy ini'ention. Fig. 2 is a separate view in section of the press-box and plunger. Fig. 3 is a View in perspective of the front side and one end of the plunger.

I carry out my invention as follows: As illustrated in the drawings, Ais the casing of a pug-mill embodied in my patent above referred to.

B is a series of gears for operating said mill.

0 is the discharge-carriage, and D is the press-box located at the base of said mill. These features constitute no part of my present invention, as they may be of the usual construction heretofore employed.

E represents the plunger, F a connectingrod, and F a pitman engaged with said rod in the usual manner, and with a crank-arm B on a shaft B upon which one of the series of gears P is mounted. The plunger is constructed with an adjustable front wall E, provided with a flange E at the base, and also with adjustable end walls, each corresponding to that shown at E, which is also provided with a flange E at the base, the one flange at the end fitting upon the other, as shown at 6. These adjustable front and end walls I call for con venience an apron. The upper edges of said apron I prefer to broaden,as shown at e. I also construct the upper face of said apron on an angle, as shown.

is the rear wall of the plui'lger, E the base, and E an inner wall extending about the front and the ends of the plunger, the upper edge of which is preferably made flaring toward the front wall E,as shown, and upon an angle corresponding to the angle of the adjacent edge e of the apron. I provide the apron with a series of ribs 6 provided with threaded rods e the wall E having elongated perforations, as at 6 for the passage of said rods. Said rods are each provided with a spring e" and an adjusting-nut e, to regulate the tension of the spring as desired. Passing through the base of the inner wall I provide also a series of screws 6 having an adjustable engagement therein, said screws projected against the apron, as shown at e These screws are particularly intended for properly adjusting the apron in first starting a machine and limiting the inward movement of the apron. It will be evident that by properly adjusting said screws e and the tension of said springs a the apron may be set to form as tight aunion of the plunger and press-box as maybe desired.

To render the device automatically adjustable, a space is left open betweenthe inner into the space F will have a tendency to automatically force the apron tightly against the sides of the press-box, the adjacent angular faces of the inner wall and apron permitting the apron to crowd outward with the least degree of friction, the angular faces slipping one past the other. As soon as the pressure he gins the operation automatically sets the sides of the apron out. Att-he same time the springs allow for any needed relief to prevent the apron from wedging too tight upon the wall of the pressbox and producing too great friction. \Vhen the movement of the plunger is reversed, the consequent suction produced beneath the plunger in the press-box relieves the pressure of the apron againstthe adjacentwalls of the press-box, so that the plunger has no friction in ascending. The apron will be permitted to slide inward on the angular face of the inner wall. In thismanner the angular faces tend to prevent too great friction in connection with the springs, while also they facilitate the reliefot the pressure on the upstroke of the plunger.

The springs serve to retain the apron against the sides of the press-box, as well as give relief.

\Vhat- I claim as my invention is- 1. In abrick-machine, the combination, with a press-box,of a plunger having an adjustable apron provided with fianging bases and means of adjusting said adj nstable walls, substantially as described.

9. Ina brick-machine,the combination, with a press-box, of a plunger having an adjustable apron and an inner wall, said inner wall and apron provided with angular adjacent faces, substantially as described.

3. In abrick-machine, the combination, with a press-box, of aplungerhaving an inner wall and an adjustable apron outside said wall, said apron constructed with an open base, substantially as described.

-.t. In abrick-machinc,thecombination, with a press-box, of a plunger having an inner wall, an adjustable apron, said wall and apron having adjacent angular faces, and a tension device uniting said wall and apron, substantially as described.

5. In abrick-machine, the combination, with a press-box, of aplunger havingan inner wall, an adjustable apron provided with an open base, rods 0, engaging the wall and apron, provided with a tension-spring, and an adjusting device, said inner wall and apron provided with adjacent angular faces, substantially as described.

6. In a brickmachine, the combination,with a press-box, of a plunger, an apron, and a screw for limiting the inward movement of said apron, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

AN IIONY F. CRAMER.

Witnesses: N. 'WI-iIeIrr,

CHAS. 1*. SALOW. 

